association
Pluralassociations
- 1A group of people who join together because they share an interest, a job, or a goal.
Like a club where members work together for the same goal.
The neighborhood association meets once a month to plan events.
She joined an association for local artists last year.
UsageYou join or form an association. Say an association of artists or an association for artists.
- 2A connection or relationship between people, groups, or things, or the act of joining together with others.
Like being known as part of a team because you play for it.
His association with the charity made him well known in town.
Her association with the soccer club began when she was ten.
UsageUse with: his association with the charity. In association with means working together with.
Similarconnection, link
Note
- 3A link your mind makes between two things, or a thought or feeling that something makes you have.
For me, the smell of pine has a strong association with Christmas at my grandma's house.
For many people, the color red has a strong association with danger.
UsageA thing has associations for you. Your mind makes an association between two things, or with something.
Similarlink, connotation
- 4A connection between two measured things, where they tend to change together but may not cause each other.
Like noticing that ice cream sales and sunburns rise together, even though neither causes the other.
Researchers found an association between sleep and test scores.
There is a clear association between exercise and a better mood.
UsageSay an association between two things: an association between sleep and test scores.
Similarrelationship
Note
Less common meaning
- 5A link between two kinds of objects in a program, letting one ask the other to do a task.
Practice
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Origin
From Latin associātiō, from associō, maybe coming through French. It is made from "associate" plus "-ion".
Checked 5 Nov 2026 · 4 facts
- Association comes from Latin associātiō. en.wiktionary.org
- Latin associātiō derives from associō. en.wiktionary.org
- The English word may have come through French. en.wiktionary.org
- The word is morphologically analysable as associate plus -ion. en.wiktionary.org